In a flash of green, Heather arrived in the yard beside Frank, who looked surprised to see her. She quickly inford him and Quinny about the others even as Breanne struggled to carry Blackbast into the yard.
I dont know that I can carry her much further, Breanne gasped and set Blackbast down. It is extrely difficult to spectral enough to fly while being solid enough to carry soone.
You explained it once before, Heather reminded as Blackbast glared at her.
Why have you taken that look? she hissed. You will raise suspicion in the others.
Heather rembered the guise of undeath and quickly released the spell, her appearance returning to normal in a few seconds. She glanced to the palanquin, but it didn't appear that anyone inside had noticed. Lady Dellaquin was too busy leaning over Baron Durmont, who appeared to be asleep or unconscious.
I will explain it later, Heather whispered and turned to Breanne. Don't worry about carrying anyone. I have a feeling you wont need to do more flying. Legeis should be here in a minute, and then we're getting out.
How? Quinny asked as Heather smiled.
Lydia is going to show us the way, Heather said and vanished in a flash. A mont later, she was back with the mysterious Lydia, who stumbled to recover from the teleport.
How are you doing that? Lydia gasped and nearly fell over.
Devil powers, Heather answered as Legeis finally ca through the hole Frank had dug in the wall. She helped Lydia to the palanquin and practically shoved her in with the other two.
Wait! Where is Lord Gislaw? she asked before Heather turned away.
Hes dead, Frank replied with a dry tone.
Yeah, he got what he deserved, Quinny added.
Which raises the question as to why we are letting these three live? Breanne asked.
Heather let out a frustrated sigh and explained that Lydia was a vampire to wondering gazes from the others.
Then why did you try to kill us? Breanne asked incredulously.
Oh, dont be so dramatic, Lady Dellaquin answered. This is all part of the ga. Invite you to dinner, strike up so intrigue, and then have a night of adventure.
By attacking us? Quinny asked.
Nobody stays dead, Lady Dellaquin replied. We wouldnt even have kept your stuff. We put it all in the graveyard where you can collect it when you respawn.
Monster players don't respawn in local graveyards, Frank pointed out. You have no idea if we are high enough to have dungeon hearts, so you were taking the risk of resetting us.
Lady Dellaquin looked him up and down with a frown on her face. Last ti I saw, you were a human warrior of so kind. She pointed to Breanne and pointed out that she had appeared to be an elf wizard of so sort. Blackbast was a feline race, and all the feline races were hero players. Heather was a devil and, as such, could be seen as friend or foe, but they planned to avoid killing her, Legeis, and Quinny.
She's lying, Heather said and turned on the woman. I hate to break the news to you, but I am aware of what Lydia was planning.
Lady Dellaquin looked to Lydia, who confird that Hannah knew about the ritual. When she asked how Hannah knew, Lydia pointed to the spider and explained he had followed her to the sanctum.
You don't understand, Lady Dellaquin began, but Lydia cut her off.
I think I had better explain this part, she said. I was working the spell to separate the monster players from the hero ones to avoid you coming to each other's defense. There was a loud crash from beyond the walls, and another pillar of sunlight fell from the sky.
They are in the courtyard, Lady Dellaquin cried.
Don't worry, Heather replied with a wicked smile. I left a surprise for them. Her remark earned her a glare from Blackbast, but she pretended not to notice. Instead, she turned to Lydia and demanded to know where the backdoor was. Lydia denied there being another way out, so Heather threatened to leave her while she and the others escaped. Lydia broke down with a snarl and instructed them to go to a building in the back of the yard. A secret door inside went into the mountain and to a tunnel that ran left and right.
The left goes to my sanctum, the right goes all the way to the graveyard, she said when Heather asked for directions. Blackbast took the lead with Legeis and Breanne at her side while Heather, Quinny, and Frank walked beside the floating palanquin to keep an eye on their guests.
They traveled down a wide tunnel twice Frank's height and lit by magical lanterns. While they traveled, Heather pressed the three for a good reason for their behavior. Lydia finally relented and explained the sad truth. As a vampire, she walked a fine line between hero and monster player. She was technically a monster player, but since she could pass as human, she was more or less tolerated by the powers that be. She was allowed to have her kingdom but was forbidden to invite players to stay there. Hence she could only earn experience from traveling players who visited the land and moved on. She was also used as a training ground for paladins, clerics, priests, and the angelic races. She had a standing arrangent with King Kevin that his followers could raid her lands. As part of that arrangent, she was allowed to deal with overzealous paladins who went too far.
That didnt seem to work in your favor this ti, Heather pointed out.
This has happened several tis, Lady Dellaquin interjected.So player becos enraged that he was killed and cos back with friends. We always fight them off, holding them at the castle while a ssage is sent to one of Kevin's agents. They will arrange for a party of high-level knights to clean us out.
And you agreed to this arrangent? Frank grumbled.
They dont actually clean us out, Lydia replied. They put on a show for the low levels and storm the castle. Once inside, I let them fight so of the monsters, then they declare us dead, and everybody moves on.
But if the castle and land remains, they have to know you haven't been reset, Frank pointed out.
They would know, but Kevin always calls the rogue players away and gives them a task elsewhere, she replied. They never realize we're still alive, and everything goes on as normal.
None of this explains what you were trying to do to us, Heather pointed out.
I would think that was obvious, Lady Dellaquin snapped. We were trying to earn so experience. The woman shook her head and looked down at the unconscious form of Baron Durmont. You have no idea how hard they have made it for us to level.
You could have gone out and adventured; you're both hero players, Blackbast insisted.
With monstrous classes, Lady Dellaquin retorted. When the hero players ran down and persecuted the monster players to near extinction, they needed a new target for their ire. Slowly but surely, they began to divide into good-aligned classes and evil ones. We were the new enemy to persecute and are treated no different than your zombie friend.
Lydia jumped in and explained how they were allowed to kill hero players who ventured into their lands. It was one of the few ways they could earn any experience, and they couldn't afford to let the opportunity go by.
So you dont kill monster players? Breanne asked.
Lady Dellaquin and Lydia exchanged glances that caused Heather to repeat Breanne's question. Lydia looked away and admitted that they often captured monster players with the ritual and turned them over to holy watch. They would take them back to a major city loyal to Kevin and publicly reset them.
We should have left them for the paladins, Quinny suggested and pointed her sword at Lydia.She is the definition of a monster.
I dont have a choice! Lydia shouted back. Kevin demands I turn them over. I play by their rules, or I beco one of the hunted. I am just a glorified playground for every good-aligned player to co and abuse as they spout their fake righteousness. I'm sorry, but the world has changed, and being what we are is a cri. I can't fight back unless I can level, and I can't level without permission. All I can do is play along until a better option presents itself. She looked to Lady Dellaquin, who was now cradling the man;'s head in her lap.
Just tell them, Lady Dellaquin urged. Only the cat woman is a true hero player. The others are undead or monster classes. They will understand.
Understand what? Frank pressed as the group went strangely silent.
Lydia looked away and folded her arms over her chest. She explained that Kevin occasionally made a mistake, and when he sent a party to pretend to clean them out, they accidentally did. As a result, she had been reset four tis and forced to start over with nothing. Kevin always sent a letter of apology claiming the players hadnt followed his orders, but they all suspected it was intentional.
It always happens when we get too close to level thirty, Lady Dellaquin said. He is keeping us low level to ensure we never beco a threat.
I hate this man, Heather growled as her three eyes flared with green fire. What gives him the right to determine who can and cant enjoy playing in the world?
An army of holy players, Lydia replied. Only the necromancers ever reached a point where they could rival his strength and organize the dark classes enough to challenge him.
And they paid a terrible price for it, Lady Dellaquin said with a hint of fear in her voice. I have heard rumors that they are still paying for it.
They were reset, Heather stated, but the two won shook their heads. They agreed that being reset was the public story, but there was a rumor that sothing far worse had happened. It was backed up by the fact that there were no players who openly admitted they had once been a necromancer king or queen.
So, if they werent reset, where are they? she asked.
Nobody knows, Lydia replied. But if you don't want to find out firsthand, you play by Kevin's rules.
Thats ominous, Breanne said with a shudder.
All the more reason we should focus on our task and get going, Blackbast urged. This distraction has put us all in danger.
Heather felt terrible about the circumstances that Lydia and her friends found themselves in. She asked a few more questions but the answers only confird that Lydia was a pawn in Kevins ga.
Why not run away? Heather asked. Go soplace far enough that he cant reach you.
First of all, it isn't so easy for a vampire to travel. I have to be very careful not to get caught out in the sunlight, which ans traveling can be quite dangerous. Secondly, where would I go? Lydia laughed. I cant flee to the wilds because not only are we not high enough level survive, but no players would ever co to settle. We would be leveling even slower than we are now.
Why would you have to go to the wilds? Heather asked.
Anywhere in the lands between the spawns would be found sooner or later, Lady Dellaquin replied. We could run and hide for a short while, but when he found us, his wrath would be terrible.
And you would find out what he did to the necromancers, Heather added as heads nodded. So your kingdom is a prison.
And we are forbidden to leave it unless he summons us, Lydia replied.
None of this justifies what Gislaw was trying to do to Quinny, Frank said with an accusatory point of his clawed gauntlet.
Gislaw is a brute who fancies himself a ladies man, Lady Dellaquin groaned.
I have to admit I am responsible for that situation, Lydia interjected. I saw her enter the castle alone and sent him to entertain her and keep her separate from the rest of you. He can be a little bold with his advances, but he would never have forced her.
You could have fooled , Quinny argued. He wasn't going to let leave the room and kept referring to as the prey.
He is a necessary evil, Lydia argued. I needed sobody who wasnt weak to holy magic and who shared our classification as an evil player. He can blend in when he wants to and has no weakness to the sunlight.
A pity your last lord of the hunt vanished, Lady Dellaquin comnted. He was a decent player and had a good manner with strangers.
Please, dont bring him up, Lydia groaned. He nearly brought Kevin down on us for good, and wherever he has run off to, he better keep running. If I ever find him, I swear he will wish Kevin had found him first.
So one of your numbers did manage to run and hide? Frank asked with an accusatory tone.
For now, Lydia replied. But I assure you, Kevin will find him sooner or later, and he will pay the price for defying him.
So hes wasnt very good, Heather surmised.
Oh, no. He was wonderful. But he wasn't content to let Kevin push him around. He started smuggling monster players across our land and helping them escape. It wasnt such a big issue when nobody knew about it, but that all changed one day. So of Kevins knights arrived chasing a goblin woman who had fled into our lands. He found her first and managed to spirit her safely away before killing one of the knights.
I like this person, Heather laughed.
So do I, Frank agreed.
Lydia shook her head and explained that Kevin has so kind of interest in the goblins, and this particular one was important. The knight had a magical device he was using to track her. Unfortunately, the lord of the hunt killed the knight, took the tracking device, and disappeared, leaving Lydia to explain what had happened.
They very nearly arrested us all, Lydia finished.
So let see if I understand this fully, Heather began. You are a monster player who is allowed to keep her kingdom provided you don't allow players to settle, and you act as a private training ground for Kevin's secret police. You are allowed to fight back and even kill them if they go too far, but you get the bulk of your experience by luring in travelers and killing them instead. Regardless of how you do it, you are only allowed to go so high, then you're accidentally reset, and the process starts over. If you run, they will hunt you down. If you fight back, you won't stand a chance and will vanish like the necromancers.
That about sums it up, Lydia sighed.
And you and the others are embroiled in this because your classes are seen as evil ones, Heather added as she stared at Lady Dellaquin.
We may as well be monster players, she agreed.
Your race is a lot like mine, Lydia began as she pointed at Heather. Devil players often walk that fine line where they are tolerated provided they obey the laws.
But I am a monster player? Heather asked.
Oh, yes, Lydia replied. And the holy classes will foam at the mouth to battle you.
So I may not be safe to travel deeper into the settled lands, Heather said and looked to Blackbast. We might be walking into disaster.
We will manage the risks, Blackbast insisted. Rember you wear my collar around your neck. As far as anyone is concerned, you are my property, and I am a hero player.
Lydia asked where they were trying to go, but Heather politely refused to tell her.
I rember, Lydia said with a look at Quinny. The treasure map that points the way but doesnt show the destination. So you ultimately dont know where youre going. You could be traveling to the heart of Kevins palace for all you know.
I doubt thats where it leads, Frank replied as the tunnel began to bend to the right. It is probably soplace people arent likely to go.
But you don't know, Lydia insisted. Why is it so important to get there anyway?
Sorry, we cant tell you that either, Heather sighed. Nothing personal, but I dont trust you to not sell out to Kevin in so way.
Fair enough, Lydia relented. So, what is your plan now?
My plan is to get away without leaving you to be reset, Heather replied. I assu there is soplace you can hide until those paladins go away?
We just need to hide long enough to recover, Lady Dellaquin replied. Then we can face them on equal footing.
Lets hope Kevin is willing to co to help you out again, Heather added as Blackbast ca to a halt.
There is a flight of stairs here, she called from ahead. Where do they go?
They co out in the large building near the center of the graveyard, Lydia replied. The floor shifts to the side and opens the way. It can only be opened from this side to ensure nobody accidentally stumbles into my lair.
Legeis searched the wall and found a pull chain which he yanked, causing a low rumbling sound. A pale light filtered through the dust and illuminated the steps as the hidden entrance pulled open. Blackbast ascended the steps slowly, careful to listen for any disturbance of the night. She poked her head just over the lip of the floor to peer through the dark hall of the central temple building.
We appear to be alone, she whispered to Legeis, who pointed out that opening door had made enough noise to alert anyone nearby. They might be hiding to wait and see what happened next.
Let go up, Breanne suggested as she faded into her spectral form. She floated to the steps and then went straight up, preferring to co through the floor. She floated across the room and out of sight when there was a sudden cry.
Burn ghost!
They heard a noise like a chorus of harps, and Breanne called out in pain. Heather ran forward with Frank and Quinny right behind as Blackbast hurriedly released her magical disk.
They were waiting for us! Lady Dellaquin cried as the palanquin fell to the floor. Heather rushed up the steps as light flooded in from outside. She burst into the room to see three people wearing white tunics over plate armor. One was a woman with braided golden hair stuck through with jeweled pins. The other two were n closely resembling knights, each holding a massive sword whose blades were unnaturally white.
A devil! one of the n cried as Heather wasted no ti, her scythe bursting into fla just before she threw it.
One man went flying as the scythe blasted him over, but the woman was already waving her arms in the casting of a spell. Frank raced past her, storming down the hall with Quinny giving chase as the woman threw up her hands.
A ring of golden light covered the floor, causing Frank and Quinny to howl in pain. Heather was just clear of the lip as her rage flared in all three of her erald eyes. Legeis went by unfazed, the holy circle useless against a goblin and his chanization. He began firing bombs that exploded on shields driving the two intruders back as they cursed.
Frank recovered quickly, ignoring the pain, and raced after the trio. One of the knights t him head on with a shield raised, and the two locked into savage combat. Quinny struggled with the light, but she kept moving, closing the gap as Legeis finally reached the second man, who was now back on his feet.
The woman lifted what looked like a hamr, and a hail of them suddenly began to puml Frank and Legeis, falling from the sky like rain. Heather dared to step into the light and imdiately felt a burning of her bare feet. She jumped back as Blackbast joined her side and began her own spell. Heather's eyes flared with green light and blinked to the other side of the ring with her hand raised as the scythe reford. She struck the woman with a powerful slice and knocked her over, ending the hail of hamrs that was pumling her friends.
Foul devil! the woman growled and whirled about with her weapon swinging wide. Heather assud the weapon was a clumsy attack but was taken by complete surprise when a wave of golden light raced out and struck her. She was hurled back to land on her rump as the woman began another spell. The priestess was suddenly attacked by a lion made of glass and born to the ground under the magical beast. Heather struggled to her feet to see Breanne staggering around the side of the building with strange golden flas drifting off her form.
Breanne! Heather cried before teleporting to her side. She went to support her, but her spectral form was still intangible despite the magical fire.
It will pass in a mont, Breanne said as she tried to recover.
What it is? Heather asked as she dared to cast and the dead.
Its called burn the dead, Breanne replied. Its a holy power that specifically harms undead and only undead. Those three are all paladins and priests of so kind. The woman is definitely a holy priest.
Well, they are outnumbered, Heather said as the flas finally died away. And not all of us are undead.
Don't underestimate what a paladin and priest can do, Breanne urged and turned to the fight. Just as they were about to join the others, a ray of sunlight crashed down on them. Heather felt like she was burning from the inside out and stumbled out the beam shaking in pain. She looked to the side to see five more people in armor rushing from the side. They all wore white tunics with a golden sun over a silver cup. Heather blinked away before a second ray of light ca down right where she had been standing and arrived at the entrance to the temple.
The glass lion was gone, and the woman was now trading weapon attacks with Blackbast. Frank and Legeis were fighting the other two along with a pack of zombies that Quinny must have summoned. Quinny was on the ground, crawling slowly away from the fight as wisps of smoke drifted from her form. Heather felt the need to call for her undead, but that would be the end of her disguise.
Blackbast! There are more coming, she cried and rushed in to help Quinny. Once again, she dared to cast nd the dead hoping the others were too busy to notice. Quinny recovered rapidly and got to her feet, rushing to help Frank as Breanne ca through the wall.
Now we are outnumbered, Breanne said as a flash of light lit up the night sky. She quickly loosed a blast of pure midnight and struck the female priests giving Blackbast an opening to lash her with the scourge.
If I could summon my minions, this wouldn't be an issue, Heather growled and vanished. She appeared behind the man Legeis was fighting and quickly went into a series of slashes. The man could not maneuver his shield to block them both, and it quickly beca apparent he was suffering for it. Just as Heather was about to strike again, a bolt of light tore across her back, announcing the arrival of the others.
Breanne let loose with a scream, and another golden circle of light fell right on top of them, protecting the holy warriors as Heather and her friends burned. She called thorn whip plants out of the ground and set them to attack whoever they could. Wildly she rushed from one battle to another, blinking around the battlefield to keep them guessing. It wasn't long before there were shouts to focus on the devil, and she was struck just as she ca out of a teleport.
Dazed, she hit the ground as her vision filled with spots. If it wasn't for the nature of this world, she would have died a dozen tis over already, but as it was, her health had to be running out. Every hit hurt more, and this last one left her feeling weak. She gripped the scythe tightly as pair of plated feet approached.
Pretty for a devil. I wonder if she is a succubus? a mocking voice said. A rough hand grabbed her by the hair and dragged her up so she could see the eyes of her assailant.
I think she is a succubus. She has one of those slave collars on, the man announced. His companions laughed and told him to chain her, and they would see what skills she had later.
Heather felt a deep anger welling inside as her hand clutched her weapon tight. She was unaware of the blue light that began to fill the air as her eyes changed color to match. With a scream of rage, she cut upward, burying the blade in the man's body as blue forks of electricity arced across her skin. She glared into his eyes, the scythe, the ring, and her entire body glowing as she commanded him to rot.
The howl was soul-wrenching as the paladin flailed on the end of her weapon. His hand fell from her hair as the armor ca apart, rotting ooze all that remained of the body that was once inside.
Kill that monster! one of them shouted, but Heather was too fast. She vanished in a flash of blue and green to arrive directly on top of the woman Blackbast was fighting. Heather vanished again along with the woman and was gone for longer than normal. Finally, she reappeared behind one of the newcors and cut him with a blade trailing blue fire. A mont later, the missing woman fell from the sky with a terrifying shriek to crash into a tombstone, shattering it in the impact.
Heather scread as three of them turned on her, and blue fire raced out in every direction. In a flash, the graveyard was burning, as were the fools that had gotten too close. The three paladins each created a glowing bubble that protected them from her flas and continued to close. Heather went to tear them to shreds, but sothing was wrong. She felt her strength waning as her legs went weak.
What is this? Blackbast said with eyes wide in wonder.
Shes burned herself out again! Quinny cried as Heather fell to her knees.
Frank tried to run to her aid, but the paladin slamd him with a sword blazing with holy light. He felt the wound even through his armor, the magic tearing at his undead form. He staggered back and prepared to lash out when sothing dropped from the ceiling and began to stab at the man with a slender knife.
Suddenly there were hoots and cries that sounded like dogs barking as black forms leaped from every shadow. They fell on the holy warriors whose powers were of little use against them and began to claw, bite, and stab.
Goblins? Breanne gasped as dozens of them ran past and joined the fight. Umtha arrived with three goblins that looked more like trolls a second later. They were tall as Heather and plated in tal armor covered in spikes. They roared and rushed in with jagged swords as the paladins began to stumble back under the tide of vicious beings.
Goblins are pouring out of so kind of magic door in your wagon! Lady Dellaquin shouted as she ran up the steps with dozens of goblins racing by.
They are with us, Quinny replied and fell to one knee.
Thank goodness, Breanne cried as Umtha started barking commands and directing the fight.
Get Hannah! Blackbast ordered, but Frank was already leaning over her still form. He cradled her in his arms as her limbs fell limp and ran back to the temple. Blackbast quickly looked her over as Frank explained how this had happened before, and she would be out for hours.
Then we must be far from here before anyone else cos looking, Blackbast hissed and turned on Lady Dellaquin. We cannot use the roads. Is there a hidden pass in the hills we can use? Sothing that isnt known to most players.
There is a mining network that goes through the hills, she replied. We can lead you to it. We were planning to hide there anyway.
Blackbast nodded and ran back to collect the palanquin. Heather was laid inside with Lydia and the others, and he stood watch as Blackbast carefully brought it up the steps. The scene looked like an image of hell with fires of blue and red burning for dozen of ters in every direction. Goblins were swarming around the last two holdouts who were glowing with magical buffs, desperate to stay alive.
What about the goblins? Quinny asked as she tried to walk and toppled over. Umtha barked sothing in goblin to Legeis, and he relayed it to others.
She says to leave them. They will stay here and cover our escape, he said.
Then we go, Blackbast shouted and rushed to Quinny;'s side. She and Frank helped put her in the palanquin as Lady Dellaquin pointed the direction to go. Umtha climbed into the front seat, and Breanne took her place inside.
Can you run? Blackbast asked as she noted Franks tired gate.
I will keep up, he replied with a strained voice.
I wish I could heal you, Blackbast growled.
Only Heather can do that, he wheezed.
Not so, ca a voice from the palanquin as Baron Durmont finally stirred. Co here.
Frank ca to the side of the palanquin as the bald man gripped his holy symbol tightly. I assu you are undead, and that is why she can't heal you.
Im a ghoul, Frank replied.
Your group is extraordinary, Baron Durmont comnted. I wondered how a man of your size managed to wear such a large suite of armor. Lydia even comnted that your light had appeared dead when you first arrived but changed when you took off the armor.
I used a magic item to change, Frank replied as the man began to utter a prayer. Baron Durmont cast nd the dead just as Heather could, and Frank imdiately felt its effects.
My class has basic undead healing abilities, or it would take too long for our puppets to recover, he said. He cast it a few more tis before admitting that was all he could do for now.
Were good? Blackbast asked as Frank nodded. Then, without wasting a mont more, she leaped to the back of Legeis's armor, and they took off. They ran as fast as they could go, steering for the back wall of the graveyard. When they reached the far wall, they could still hear the distant barking cries of goblins.
They fled into the dark forest beyond, heading for the hills silhouetted in the moonlight. It was the end of the battle, but the beginning of a race for the truth. Blackbast looked back to the palanquin where Heather lay and wondered just who this girl really was.
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